Getting to Sharm El Sheikh

As previously reported, in the wake of the Russian airline disaster in 2015, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office issued a a travel advisory warning against 'all but essential travel by air to Sharm el Sheikh,' effectively restricting direct flights to and from the UK to Sharm airport. No travel advice was issued against the resort itself which has remained "green" before and since.

As of March 2018, this restriction on direct UK flights remains in place, while many European countries have lifted their restrictions, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Switzerland and Ukraine, as well as other countries outside of Europe such as Turkey and Jordan.

None of the UK tour operators, which previously included easyJet, Thomas Cook and TUI (formerly Thomson) has a timetable for a return to Sharm as they are unable to direct their flights to Sharm while the travel restrictions remain in place. Monarch, also a popular option, went out of business, partly through the loss of Sharm as one of it's most popular destinations.

The resort of Sharm is having to move on without the historically large numbers of Brits and Russians. Many visitors from across Europe and beyond have returned to visit the resort and enjoy its fantastic diving. It could indeed be said that British divers are missing the (diving) boat! If that wasn't enough, the Egyptian Pound offers extremely good value against Sterling. The present value is 24 Egyptian Pounds to £1, so your local food and beer budget will go a very long way while you visit.

Many UK guests have taken alternative routes which may increase the journey time (but also tend to come with larger baggage allowances and better on-board services). There are plenty of routes available, either through Europe, or via Cairo and Hurghada, whose airports are not restricted. Sadly, the ferry between Hurghada and Sharm (La Pespes) is no longer operational.

For those UK divers interested, able and wanting to visit Sharm and its most wonderful dive reefs, which have experienced an unprecedented resurgence during the quiet spell, indirect flights are the only way to return to Sharm's never-ending sunshine and diving, so here's the most comprehensive travel advice available on getting to Sharm.

Getting to Sharm from the UK

Firstly - it's important that you consider the FCO's travel advice before you decide to travel to Sharm. Remember that the advisory is for the flights in and out of the airport only, and not the resort itself (FCO current travel advice for Egypt) Check your current insurance company will cover you if you travel through Sharm airport on an indirect flight. Westfield Sub Aqua & Marine Insurance Services is recommended by a number of visitors. 'We are happy to confirm that we continue to offer insurance for Sharm (including the Airport) and Dahab with our standard policy,' says Managing Director Nick Caldwell.

For the indirect routes, a multitude of options is available, although some are more straightforward than others.

The easiest and best option remains the single airline, direct transfer routes using Egyptair (via Cairo) or Turkish Airways and Pegasus (via Istanbul) to reach Sharm. You and your bags are checked in and transported all the way to Sharm, so the journey is as straightforward as possible. Both offer excellent prices if booked in advance.

The second option is to fly via any of the cities that have direct flights to Sharm, although this will involve using separate airlines to get there. Flights to many European destinations can be found quite inexpensively, and from there, direct flights to Sharm are available. Travel planning sites such as Skyscanner or Kiwi can be very useful to find the very cheapest routes.

The final option is to fly via Hurghada, but there are only two flights available each week on Sunday and Tuesday, so it's okay if you're on tour and wish to visit both resorts, but not great if you're on a shorter timescale.

Direct Flights to Sharm

The following is a (possibly complete) list of the cities from which you can fly direct to Sharm in 2018. Note that some flights operate on seasonal timetables.

Emperor Locations

Your questions answered

What dive sites are suitable for novice divers?
All the local sites and depending on the conditions some sites in Tiran and Ras Mohamed.

I want to do an Open Water Course but I'm nervous, will I be ok?
You certainly will. Our instructors are professional, experienced and patient. The course will progress at your speed and safety will be our priority, just before fun! It's great when there are a few people doing the same course as there's that feeling of all being in the same boat...almost literally!